A warm floor in a house for many people has long been no longer an exotic, artsy whim, but a real need to create coziness and comfort. It is known that heat supply in our cities cannot provide high-quality heat to all houses, and the way out was the use of underfloor heating, especially in the bathroom, where it is pleasant to stand on it barefoot after bathing. Often the need arises in families with small children who like to run around the apartment and stand barefoot on the tiles in the hygiene room. Proper do-it-yourself underfloor heating in the bathroom allows you to solve a number of problems such as a uniformly heated surface, quick drying of towels, and getting warm, dry air.
- assembly of pipes under the screed, in which the coolant circulates;
- use of electric heating cable.
Main advantages and types of floors
The idea of underfloor heating is borrowed from the arrangement of the Roman baths. During their construction, special underground channels were constructed, through which the air heated in the attached tanks passed and heated the floors in almost all bath rooms. Their main advantage was the creation of heat and a dry room, relieving it of moisture. Dry air will be constant, regardless of the activities carried out, like bathing or just doing laundry indoors.
It differs in that it does not take up a large area and is invisible, unlike a heater, which is sometimes impossible to install due to its small area. When heated, the entire room is heated, as the heated air rises.
An example of a modern beautiful and inexpensive warm floor in the bathroom, which is made step by step with your own hands, can be viewed in the video presented.
Perhaps, after viewing, someone decides to carry out repair work on their own. You should be aware that there are several types of modern systems, such as:
- Water
- Electric
- Infrared
When turning off the heating in the apartment, you can use all the types presented.
Water
A water structure means pipes made of PVC, plastic, or copper with a small diameter. They are laid in a certain order on the floor surface. This type resembles a battery, since when turned on, the heated water (coolant) passes through the pipes. The thermostat allows you to adjust the temperature. This is the safest type, easy to arrange. Today, equipment is offered on the market at very affordable prices.
Electrical
Electric floor structures are considered the most popular and in demand. They are mainly used in small rooms, more often in the bathroom. They are low priced. Installation is easy, as the heating cable can be mounted both on top of the tile and on the concrete screed, and then closes its finished floor and thermal insulator. They do not pose a danger, since the radiation is lower than in a microwave oven.
infrared
Many consumers are afraid of operating costs as electricity prices rise. A relatively “young” thermal floor covering is considered to be an infrared film floor with a heating sensor.
It is compact, efficient and versatile. The film can be mounted not only on the floor, but on the ceiling, walls.
Costs are significantly reduced due to the fact that with this design no screed is required. Parallel connection of floor elements, both film and electric, guarantees trouble-free operation.
How to make an infrared warm floor - video:
How to DIY
Starting to repair in the bathroom, you should start with the installation. It is preferable to use tiles laid on aluminum sheets and cardboard spacers.
The course of action includes several stages:
- pipe layout;
- installation of risers for hot water;
- laying a waterproofing layer;
- screed provided concrete floor;
- foil insulation;
- assembly and laying of the floor system, connection to the return;
- system testing;
- pouring cement mortar.
In the absence of skills in connecting a heating radiator, independent work is not recommended.
With good ventilation, you can use wood floors, as it warms up better.
This type includes a layer of thermal insulation, pipes, material for fasteners, collectors with fittings, which contribute to connecting the system to general heating. Preliminary waterproofing is carried out, raising the floor by approximately 7 cm, which is important for a low ceiling in the room. It is important to properly lay the pipes by connecting them to a collector that is connected to the general heating system.
For the collector, a place is allocated in which the temperature control shield is installed. The marking of the floor by sectors is carried out with the calculation of the deformation of the screed when heated. Initially, a drawing is made on graph paper, and then transferred to the place of work.
For correct accounting, all pipe laying points should be transferred, which are laid with a small indent from the wall. You should think about how to properly place the furniture. Under it, you can not lay the system, significantly saving on the material.
Styrofoam, polystyrene foam, or expanded polystyrene are used as thermal insulation, which retain heat well and are not subject to moisture. To reflect heat, the floor is covered with a foil substrate, the cuts are connected with aluminum tape. Further, a damper tape is glued along the perimeter, which compensates for the expanded heat under the screed.
To fix the pipes, a reinforcing mesh should be laid, and then the pipes are laid according to the specified scheme.
The distance to the wall should not be less than 8 cm, and between the pipes - 10-40 cm. The pipes are not strongly attached to the grid with plastic clamps, since when heated, stress is created that can lead to deformation of the system.
After installation, it is connected to the collector and tested. The pipes should be hidden in the corrugation if they are located next to the expansion joint of the screed. The ends of the pipes are joined to the outlet of hot water and the return hole of the cold one and are fixed with nuts. The test takes at least 2 hours. After that, concrete is poured, or tiles are laid, and cold water can flow in the pipes.
How to make a water heated floor - video:
How to install electric underfloor heating
Heating mats together represent an electric warm floor structure.
They are made of fabric with built-in cables of excellent insulation, they are also equipped with wires for connecting to electricity. Temperature control is carried out by a thermostat, which is contained in the system. The mats are cut according to the area of the room, but the cable cannot be cut.
Do not break, bend the cable wire. Handle the material very carefully!
The mats are glued onto a concrete screed with glue, and then the tiles are laid on a dry surface. The system is used in small bathrooms. To protect yourself in the future, despite the fact that the system itself is safe, you should purchase materials from trusted manufacturers and sellers.
The thermostat / timer will allow you to control such a floor in order to prevent excessive energy consumption. In addition to mats, many builders lay a cable on a metal mesh according to a specially drawn up scheme.
Do not lose the mesh laying pattern so that various damages can be repaired in the future.
The cable is connected with a special coupling and immersed in a concrete screed.
Benefits of floor structures
If we compare the heating equipment of the premises, modern floor structures are hidden, unlike conventional wall radiators, which occupy free space in the room.
In any case, the inconvenience of radiators is that it is forbidden to place appliances and furniture near them. Equipped with a warm floor covering, the heat of which comes from the bottom up, has a high level of comfort. Significant savings in resources in private homes. If there is independent heating, the coolant can be heated up to 40°C. The main advantage of the underfloor heating system is that the household will never catch a cold in the bathroom.
